Photos: THE GLASS MENAGERIE / SPEELGOED VAN GLAS To Play In English And Afrikaans At The Baxter This August

The Glass Menagerie / Speelgoed van glas, Nico Scheepers’ award-winning reimagining of Tennessee Williams’ classic memory play, will run in English and Afrikaans this August at the Baxter Flipside. Check out photos from the production.

The English-language performances will take place from July 31 to August 7, followed by the Afrikaans version from August 8 to 16.

This acclaimed production stars Anna-Mart van der Merwe as Amanda Wingfield, alongside Carla Smith, Ben Albertyn, and Mark Elderkin. Originally adapted into Afrikaans and set in 1990s South Africa, Speelgoed van glas debuted at the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees, winning Woordtrofees for Best Play, Best Director (Scheepers), Best Supporting Actress (Smith), and Best Supporting Actor (Elderkin). At the Baxter, the production returns in both its original Afrikaans and a new English “retranslation,” which retains the adapted South African setting and cultural texture.

Scheepers' English version is not a direct translation of Williams’ original text, but a new rendering of his own Afrikaans adaptation, infused with South African language and identity. “The actors speak with Afrikaans accents and use some Afrikaans words,” Scheepers explains. “Everyone speaks English, but Jim, who arrives in the second half, still feels like an English person visiting an Afrikaans family.”

Speelgoed van glas has been widely praised by critics. Neels Jackson called it “brilliant,” while Marina Griebenow described it as “a gem that one will cherish and preserve for a long time.” Laetitia Pople praised Scheepers’ “understanding of the human heart and the place of dreams in daily life.”

The Glass Menagerie

Performances: July 31 – August 7, 2025
Time: Tuesdays to Saturdays at 19:30; Saturday matinee at 15:30
Venue: The Baxter Flipside
Tickets: R160–R210 at Webtickets or Pick n Pay stores
Language: English
Duration: 60 minutes
Age restriction: 13+ (PG)

Speelgoed van glas

Performances: August 8 – 16, 2025
Time: Tuesdays to Saturdays at 19:30; Saturday matinee at 15:30
Venue: The Baxter Flipside
Tickets: R160–R210 at Webtickets or Pick n Pay stores
Language: Afrikaans
Duration: 60 minutes
Age restriction: 13+ (PG)

THE GLASS MENAGERIE

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